Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

This book is pleasant to browse, containing various lore about geometry, history, geography and the occult. It is very attractive visually, containing many nice photographs and diagrams. Unfortunately, given the important place of mathematics in the book, I am afraid to say that the author appears to know rather more about art and mysticism than he does about mathematics. For example, on page 52 we read: "For modern mathematics irrational numbers are those that cannot be pinned down to a few digits. They are, in fact, repeating decimals that go on forever." In fact, of course, irrational numbers are characterized by having decimal expansions that do not repeat. Also, on page 51, it is apparent that the author does not understand the construction of the mathematical curve known as the Conchoid of Nicomedes. This is a pity, because it would have been very easy to give the correct description since the relevant diagram is already included on the page.